Brothers return to WNC with new band

Published: Friday, April 19, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 10:19 a.m.

After years of playing in local bands, brothers Dillon and Jantzen Wray reunited in Colorado to form their newest project.

The brothers, as Old North State, spent a year honing their speed bluegrass away from the eyes and ears of those who knew them.

"It's hard to launch a band in a place where there are people you've known forever, and they have seen your terrible bands from seven years ago," Dillon said.

"It was nice and refreshing to go somewhere where no one knew us and put our work in. Now, when we've come back, we've been touring for a year and gotten everything together."

Jantzen, who plays banjo and guitar and sings, was in school in Colorado when Dillon, who plays guitar and percussion and sings, rode out to spend time with him. They decided to start playing and soon released "Long Road Home."

When they play at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lexington Avenue Brewery in Asheville, the band will be promoting a new four-song EP called "Hello, Darling."

The brothers have added a third member to the group, Hendersonville-born bassist Bryan Thurman. The brothers have known Thurman for more than a decade, which helps the feel of the group.

"It is the easiest band I've ever been in, and I think because it feels so natural to both of us," Dillon said of working with his brother. "I used to live in Asheville and was in metal bands. It felt forced. You had to look a certain way, book certain places. Nothing feels forced about this."

Dillon's heavy metal influences sometimes creeps into the music. He said some of the instrumental refrains might have little glimpses of metal.

Growing up, Dillon saw the Avett Brothers often and enjoyed their style of bluegrass, but his band's music isn't based on what someone else has done. Early on, there was a bit of the Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show and Yonder Mountain String Band influencing the music. That isn't the case now, as Dillon said he thinks the band has found its distinct sound.

"I don't actively search for a band that sounds like my band because I haven't found one yet," he said. "I'm not saying it's not out there, but we're not trying to sound like any one artist."

The EP was recorded in New Jersey with Arthur "Ace" Enders, lead singer for The Early Novembers, manning the controls.

The brothers tried three times to record the EP but weren't able to for various reasons.

"We won the battle because the songs we ended up choosing became more developed," Dillon said, "because they had some live play time under them instead of just pushing them onto an album."

The brothers hope to reach younger and older bluegrass fans. They noticed it was possible in Colorado.

"We as a band got our start in Colorado playing the streets, busking, and that's where we discovered it," he said.

"These older couples were coming up really enjoying what we were doing with our tight harmonies. And kids think it's awesome because it's aggressive."

<p>After years of playing in local bands, brothers Dillon and Jantzen Wray reunited in Colorado to form their newest project.</p><p>The brothers, as Old North State, spent a year honing their speed bluegrass away from the eyes and ears of those who knew them.</p><p>"It's hard to launch a band in a place where there are people you've known forever, and they have seen your terrible bands from seven years ago," Dillon said. </p><p>"It was nice and refreshing to go somewhere where no one knew us and put our work in. Now, when we've come back, we've been touring for a year and gotten everything together."</p><p>Jantzen, who plays banjo and guitar and sings, was in school in Colorado when Dillon, who plays guitar and percussion and sings, rode out to spend time with him. They decided to start playing and soon released "Long Road Home."</p><p>When they play at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lexington Avenue Brewery in Asheville, the band will be promoting a new four-song EP called "Hello, Darling."</p><p>The brothers have added a third member to the group, Hendersonville-born bassist Bryan Thurman. The brothers have known Thurman for more than a decade, which helps the feel of the group.</p><p>"It is the easiest band I've ever been in, and I think because it feels so natural to both of us," Dillon said of working with his brother. "I used to live in Asheville and was in metal bands. It felt forced. You had to look a certain way, book certain places. Nothing feels forced about this."</p><p>Dillon's heavy metal influences sometimes creeps into the music. He said some of the instrumental refrains might have little glimpses of metal.</p><p>Growing up, Dillon saw the Avett Brothers often and enjoyed their style of bluegrass, but his band's music isn't based on what someone else has done. Early on, there was a bit of the Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show and Yonder Mountain String Band influencing the music. That isn't the case now, as Dillon said he thinks the band has found its distinct sound.</p><p>"I don't actively search for a band that sounds like my band because I haven't found one yet," he said. "I'm not saying it's not out there, but we're not trying to sound like any one artist."</p><p>The EP was recorded in New Jersey with Arthur "Ace" Enders, lead singer for The Early Novembers, manning the controls. </p><p>The brothers tried three times to record the EP but weren't able to for various reasons.</p><p>"We won the battle because the songs we ended up choosing became more developed," Dillon said, "because they had some live play time under them instead of just pushing them onto an album."</p><p>The brothers hope to reach younger and older bluegrass fans. They noticed it was possible in Colorado.</p><p>"We as a band got our start in Colorado playing the streets, busking, and that's where we discovered it," he said. </p><p>"These older couples were coming up really enjoying what we were doing with our tight harmonies. And kids think it's awesome because it's aggressive."</p>